My Video Diary

Ian Quill

About this blog...

Hi, I'm a Hepatitis C sufferer and have been for about 25 years or so, unbeknown to me!

The virus became 'active' a few years ago and I was diagnosed sometime after that. Unfortunately my liver was already too badly damaged to undergo traditional treatments.

Since that time my health deteriorated until I had a Full Liver Transplant at St Jimmy's in Leeds, however the HepC still remains!

This is my story about my fight with the virus until I beat it or it beats me... and so far I'm winning!

I hope that what I write here may help others who battle daily with HCV and also for those who face, or have faced the 'highs & lows' of an Organ Transplant.
I have an eye for the unusual, a love of philosophical and political humour and enjoy nothing more than good, old fashioned 'Mickey' taking! I write my blog mainly to amuse me, but also to let people know what HepC is and what it's like to live with.

Please click on the links on this site for the Hep C Trust, Hep C Nomads and others, whom I have relied on for information, help and support - and without whom, I would not be here today.

I hope you enjoy reading my by blog and maybe even find it amusing and enlightening!

Keep well everyone... Ian

The Hepatitis Trust

Helpline: 0845 223 4424

Hep C Nomads

The Social Side Of Support For Those Affected By Hep C - Click here to link Hep C Nomads forum

I am writing to raise the issue of hepatitis C, a virus that has had a huge impact on my life.

As you may be aware, hepatitis C is a growing problem in the UK. It is an infectious blood-borne virus that mainly affects the liver and is undiagnosed in the majority of the 250,000 to 466,000 people infected across the UK. It can cause cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer and death yet is both preventable and treatable.

I am Hepatitis C sufferer and it is thought I contracted the virus over 25 years ago.

Unfortunately for me, by the time I was diagnosed with HCV, my liver was so badly damaged that my only option was to have a full Liver Transplant.

I received my new liver on 28th January 2010 at St James Hospital, Leeds which gave me a new lease of life but I still have the Hepatitis C virus.

I am aware that new drugs will soon be available to combat this deadly virus however these are not yet available on the NHS and nor have they been tested on post-liver transplant patients.

I am about to embark on the currently available, standard Ribavirin/Peg Interferon treatment which will take 48 weeks to complete which does not guarantee a 'cure' and has severe side effects. I am also told I will not qualify for DLA whilst on this treatment which I find cruel and unjust.

All of this suffering could have been avoided, as well as the expense of the Liver Transplant operation, the extremely expensive drugs I must now take for the rest of my life and the treatment I am about to start IF I HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED EARLY.

The Department of Health is currently developing a National Liver Strategy and I hope this will address hepatitis C and its devastating consequences by drastically increasing diagnosis rates, improving support, treatment and care for patients, and preventing further infections.

The All-Party Parliamentary Hepatology Group takes a lead in Parliament in raising the profile of liver disease, in particular hepatitis C. I would be extremely pleased if you could join the Group so you can be kept up to date with relevant debates, reports and meetings in Westminster. The Hepatitis C Trust runs the secretariat for the Group so please email jane.allen@hepctrust.org.uk or call 020 7089 6220 to join. This is very important to me and I do hope you will be able to support me and other hepatitis C patients in this way.

I would also be grateful if you could consider supporting Early Day Motion 119, ‘The Hepatitis C Trust’s Get Tested Campaign’ which calls for great public and professional awareness of the virus so that more people are diagnosed.

I urge you as my MP to join the All-Party Parliamentary Hepatology Group and support our Early Day Motion, ‘The Hepatitis C Trust’s Get Tested Campaign’.

I would appreciate if you could write back to me to let me know your thoughts on my request.

Thank you for your time and your consideration of this vital but often overlooked public health issue.

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

Mmm.. Coffee, I knew I loved drinking it so much for a reason. And after drinking several strong 'blasts' in the morning, I find I get so much more achieved. And now they tell me 'it's good for you'...Should help with my forthcoming treatment, I have a treatment review on Monday at St Jimmy's. So for now, I'll have another shot then please :)

Advanced hepatitis C patients with chronic liver disease may benefit from drinking coffee during treatment, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. Patients who received peginterferon plus ribavirin treatment and who drank three or more cups of coffee per day were two times more likely to respond to treatment than non-drinkers.

"Coffee intake has been associated with a lower level of liver enzymes, reduced progression of chronic liver disease and reduced incidence of liver cancer," said Neal Freedman, PhD, MPH, of the National Cancer Institute and lead author of this study. "Although we observed an independent association between coffee intake and virologic response to treatment, this association needs replication in other studies."

Among non-drinkers, 46 percent had an early virologic response; 26 percent had no detectable serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) ribonucleic acid at week 20; 22 percent had no detectable serum at week 48; and 11 percent had a sustained virologic response. In contrast, the corresponding proportions for those who drank three or more cups of coffee per day were 73 percent, 52 percent, 49 percent and 26 percent, respectively.

Approximately 70 to 80 percent of individuals exposed to HCV become chronically infected. Worldwide, these individuals are estimated to number between 130 and 170 million. Higher coffee consumption has been associated with slower progression of pre-existing liver disease and lower risk of liver cancer. However, the relationship with response to anti-HCV treatment had not been previously evaluated. Treatment with peginterferon and ribavirin resolves chronic hepatitis C in about half of patients. It is unknown whether coffee will improve response with the addition of new drugs that were recently approved for use in the U.S.

Because patients in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis Trial also had previously failed interferon therapy, it is not clear whether the results can be generalized to other patient populations. Future studies among patients with less advanced disease, those who are treatment-naïve to prior therapy, or who are being treated with newer antiviral agents are needed.

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What Is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C Information:

Hepatits C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflamation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide. It is the leading cause of liver Transplant...

Hepatitis C is an inflamation of the liver caused by infection with the Hepatitis C virus is one of the five known hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, D & E. Hepatitis C was previousley known as non-A non-B hepatitis prior to isolation of the virus in 1989.

Symptoms of Acute Hepatitis C:

Acute Hepatitis C refers to first 6 months after infection with HCV. Remarkably, 60% - 70% of people develop no symptoms during the acute phase. In the minority of patients who experience acute phase symptoms, thet are generally mild and non-specific, and rarely lead to specific diagnoses of Hepatitis C. Symptoms of acute hepatitis C include decreased appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, itching and flu-like symptoms.

Symptoms of Chronic Hepatitis C:

Chronic Hepatitis C is defined as infection with the Hepatitis C virus persisting for more than six months. The course of chronic hepatitis C varies considerably from one person to another. Virtually all people infected with HCV have evidence of inflamation on liver biopsy however, the rate of progression of liver scarring (fibrosis) shows significant inter-individual variability.